Mt Ainslie Summit Trail, ACT
Mt Ainslie Summit Trail, ACT
A very popular short, steepish walk that rewards with magnificent 360 degree views down of Canberra and the surrounding district.
Summary
A very popular short, steepish walk that rewards with magnificent 360 degree views down of Canberra and the surrounding district.
Description
This is a very popular walk that we think is best done in the early morning or evening, particularly in the warmer months. The walk is not overly strenuous so you'll have plenty of energy left for other walks, or its simply a nice start to the day!
Dogs on leash allowed. No bicycles on this trail but bike riders are allowed on the Centenary Trail that crosses this one.
The walk is in the Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve The information below is from this link: ACT and region was, is and always will be part of the traditional home of the Ngunnawal Aboriginal people. Mount Ainslie is an important Aboriginal cultural place in the ACT with up to 31 known Aboriginal heritage sites of cultural and archaeological significance.
Mount Ainslie is a refuge for many threatened species of plants and animals, especially regionally declining woodland birds. It has a diversity of wildflowers in both its endangered woodland and forest areas, including rare plants such as the Canberra Spider Orchid and Hoary Sunray. The threatened Glossy Black-cockatoo is often seen in the reserve eating from the Drooping She-oak. The rare and vulnerable Rosenberg’s Goanna is sometimes seen wandering through the diverse understorey.
Unlike the forests of Black Mountain or Mount Majura, Mount Ainslie forests were never substantially cleared. Mature hollow-bearing eucalypt trees are more prevalent here than in some other reserves of Canberra Nature Park. "The eastern side of the reserve was once used as a firing range by the military at Duntroon and unexploded ordnance may still be found today. Please stay on track in this area"!
The walk is accessible by bus to the Australian War Memorial (get off at either Fairburn or Limestone Ave stops which are about 200 metres away from the start of the walk ), you can use the Transport Canberra journey planner.
24406 Views
Points of Interest
1. Australian War Memorial
The walks starts at the back of the Australian War Memorial.
2. The start
The start is very near the road across from the carpark and clearly marked.
3. The path
The path is slightly uneven if you are unsteady on your feet, but the surrounding buish really is beautiful.
4. Scribbly gums
A beautiful stand of Scribbly Gums that get their name from scribbly patterns etched into their bark form caterpillars that crawl under the bark.
5. Rest area and lookout
Nice spot to stop and look out over Ainslie.
7. Crossing paths
One of the many paths that seem to cross the trail, this one has a sign for Templeton's Crossing.
8. Steps
Some steps hear and there.
9. Fungi
Nice to meet a fun guy (fungi) out on a stroll, these ones one the underside of a log near the path.
10. The descent
And back down you go.
11. The view
What a view! If you can, best to go on a clear, sunny morning when you can see for miles and miles!
Features
Public Transport
Picnic spot
Seating available
Nature trail
